There’s a perception that with each subsequent generation prejudice recedes at least a little. This generation helped elect the nation’s first Black president. It appears to be more openly accepting of gay marriage. It’s also likely to be the last, or second to last, generation born into an America in which whites are the majority. But is it less prejudiced? What are your opinions and observations? Have you ever been a victim of prejudice?
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Maybe this is wishful thinking, but while we still have problems regarding race and class, I’d frame the challenge our generation faces as one of overcoming misconceptions not prejudice. I don’t see underlying hate or even fear around me, but instead problems that seem to stem from the frustration and anger that come with culture clash (at least where I grew up). It’s certainly still an issue, but the shape of it is much different than it used to be. Overall I think there’s no question that we’re the most open minded and accepting generation yet, and I’m not sure we get enough credit for that.
I remember being at a party last summer at my best friend’s house, back when it was becoming clear that Obama could in fact become the President. Her family sat around talking about how terrible it would be if a black man became the President, making no argument besides their own prejudices. It infuriated me. And although most of the people talking were my parents’ age or older (and Democrats!), I was surrounded by friends my age who were sitting there silent. I tried to voice my own opinions, but I was shaking so hard with rage that I just had to leave the room.
Personally, I don’t think I hold many prejudices. And two years ago, I would have thought that most of my generation felt the same way. Now, I’m not so sure.
I think part of the issue is sampling error… most of the articles I read about Gen Y seem to implicitly focus on educated middle class (and up) suburban/urban members of the generation. The more general surveyed data seems to indicate largely urban/rural extremes on this (and a number of other so-called “culture war” issues).
I’d say history has shown that exposure breeds acceptance; as it was becoming more acceptable to be out of the closet in the ’80s when Gen Y was growing up, it was more likely (particularly in urban areas) for kids to encounter homosexual men and women and see that they were just like everyone else. This is of course precisely what the main camp of same-sex marriage opponents fear when they talk about “teaching homosexuality in schools”. They don’t want the idea of two men or two women loving eachother to become normal.
The reason this connects is that since acceptance of being an out homosexual is much higher in urban areas, you’re going to mostly find them there, and Gen Ys who live there are much more likely to be exposed to and become accepting of the idea. You could probably find pockets of Gen Y-aged people (mostly rural, mostly evangelical) who would vehemently disagree. The stats overall are very good for tolerance, but I think it’s also important not to become complacent about the significant civil rights gap that exists in most states and at the federal level.
It definitely is less apparent. Growing up, I was picked on frequently for having a Hispanic dad/white mom – where I grew up, it was just unheard of. Minorities were a figment of imagination and didn’t exist outside our bubble. It wasn’t until high school that I really accepted who I was – and that being Hispanic was ok.
I remember being called down to the principals office and being told that my race status on school records was being changed from Caucasian to Hispanic – just so the school could look smart and racially balanced. Note, my school was 92% Caucasian.
Now, I’m proud of my heritage. It’s not something I hide. I say I’m Cuban more often than not – even though I look straight up white. Society accepts it, I accept it.
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I don’t think that racism or prejudice are gone in our generation. It still exists, unfortunately. However, I feel that overall we are more tolerant than previous generations.
Personally, I am an advocate for gay rights and believe that everyone deserves an equal chance of being happy and succeeding. People learn a lot from their parents and racism and prejudice are one of those things that can be passed down between generations.
Personally, during the election this past year I was horrified hearing my grandparents and great aunt talk about how a woman or an African-American shouldn’t be in the White House. But there are people who follow in line with what their parents believed in. It’s natural.
In my experience… no. And yes.
I’m from rural Ohio, where racial and sexual preference prejudice is unbearably strong. However, I’ve lived in Columbus for the past 4 years, where I’ve encountered more accepting, open-minded people than I ever did there.
However, I went home for the recent holiday, and while out with some old friends from high school, the fact that my fiancee is black came up. They… didn’t believe me. They said that I was “too good to date a black man” and I actually had to show them a picture before they accepted that, no, I wasn’t joking.
So… my answer has to be no, at least in small towns. Maybe in bigger cities people have become more accepting. Isn’t it nice to think so?
I don’t think it is less prevalent, but I do think it is done outwardly less. Everyone knows how unacceptable it is now, so the people who do hold prejudices aren’t as open about them. But I also think that this is start. Even if people hold prejudices, but don’t show them, then the following generations will see how unacceptable they are and learn to not have them. Prejudice will not disappear in just a few generations, but if children see that it is accepted openly it is at least a start.
It’s not gone, and it’s probably less prevalant, but it’s…different? I doubt my parents’ generation made the racist jokes I hear now, and that’s prejudice. We’ve passed civil rights laws, and women can vote — but gays still can’t get married everywhere, and they’re still not allowed in the military — and that’s discrimination. So, society’s probably doing better, and prejudice isn’t necessarily as outwardly prevalent as it was…but it’s still out there, just in different forms.
I think there is much less “in your face” racism, sexism, and discrimination in this generation.
But there is still quite a bit of prejudice based on unfounded cultural mythologies.
I also hear a lot of young people claim to be “colorblind.” I know they mean well, but “colorblindness” isn’t the same thing as knowledge and open dialogue.
The reality is, different races, genders, and orientations have different cultural experiences, and claiming to be colorblind seems to verge on saying “you’re all the same to me.” And that’s not going to get us very far in bridging gaps and easing turmoil.
Like Cheryl, I’m from a small town and haven’t seen my peers much more accepting than their parents when it comes to racial prejudices. More people are much less prejudiced about sexual preferences now than they were twenty years ago though I’ve found. It’s almost as if having a black president has brought out MORE prejudices against blacks, as if some people are like “Well it’s okay to be more blatant about it now since there’s one leading us.” Racial prejudices haven’t gone away, they’ve morphed to fit with our more outspoken generation. I had one person comment to me, “Have you noticed there’s way mroe black people on TV now that Obama is president?” meant to be degrading. And that’s supposed to be a bad thing? The amount of races other than white in the media is still so underrepresented when compared to the actual percentages of different races in society, I can only see this supposed “increase” as a good thing.
Our generation is much more likely to claim they are less prejudice, or to be aware of other’s prejudices, but I’m not sure we’ve come that much farther than our parents.
It’s difficult to say whether this generation overall is more open to diversity in every sense of the word, or if it really depends on where you’re from and how you’re raised.
22-year olds in the midwest have a different view of race from those in the south who have a different point of view that westerners who have a different point of view than new englanders who have a different point of view than Quakers living in the forests or whatnot.
At the same time, even in all those different pockets, who you are and how you were raised changes your perception of race and ethnicity and homosexuality as well.
I’ll bring up a personal example.
In high school, in a heated debate over whether or not to change the guidelines for Affirmative Action for an alternative program, a white girl that I had considered my friend, spoke up that Affirmative Action should be revoked because everyone that had gotten in (possibly) because of Affirmative Action, wasn’t really “ethnic,” because we didn’t have accents, or were adopted by white parents.
We may be more accepting of different types of people, but even in the most educated and open-minded of communities, there’s still an image of “what is supposed to be,” and if you’re not that “thing,” then you must be something else, that completely throws off everything that you were taught.
So, yes, I still think we’re just as prejudiced, it’s just packaged in a different, more quiet, PC-sort-of-way.
It’s not so much about the generation you were born into, rather than the influences and experiences you had growing up. In that sense, I’ve always associated prejudice with a lack of understanding–one person’s inability to empathize with another. When you grow up around diversity and an environment that accepts it, it’s easier to relate. However, if you grow up in a more homogenous environment, I’m sure there’s a greater disconnect. Perhaps it’s not that Gen Y is less prejudice, but the open-minded members of its generation are more vocal.
My dad had an interesting point to say about racism a few years back while we were driving to Virginia one day. He said to me – “There are 3 generations to racism. The first is when you’re open about it, because it’s all you know. The second is when you feel it but you’re quiet about it, because you know it’s wrong. You never speak of the feelings you have. The third is the child who never learned to be racist.”
I can’t say he’s right – there are way too many influences in the 21st century for it to work so easily – but it’s on the right track. We might not be there, but there’s become an intolerance of intolerance and that’s certainly a step in the right direction.
I have been on both sides of the coin which definitely impacts my view. In Kenya, it took me a lot longer to make friends because I was the only white girl. I have been refused cab rides because the driver hated white people. In the US, my swahili and african studies classes didn’t always welcome me. Getting past my skin color has been a barrier to entrance, and I’m white. I can’t imagine how it feels to live in the US with racism. I still see racism in the US all the time. Sometimes it’s less overt, but hiding under the surface is almost worse. You can’t fight something without a face. But, I also see counter-racism. Racism is the one that I am most familiar with, and I am most sensitive to. While I think, in general, our generation is more tolerant with regards to religion and sexuality, I think racism is far behind. People continue to to cry wolf in every racial circumstance. There are times that racism needs to be called what it is, but other times, calling every act racism just devalues the real circumstances that need to be brought to light.
is it prejudice to stereotype people by age/generation?
What I notice about your generation (I’m Gen X), is that you are much more comfortable talking about issues of race – and less likely to get your noses out of joint if someone doesn’t use the correct – or should I say politically correct – language when they’re trying to make their point. I think that’s awesome.
generation y is the most racist and intolerant generation I’ve ever come across! This coming from a generation y’er. They exclude EVERYONE different from them. Most can hardly do anything themselves. Generation Y White Women are the worst in my opinion.